Bloody Jack

Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of 18th-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas. There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret.

Sometimes it clicks

I've listened to well over a hundred audio books over the last few years and have noticed that once in awhile, the reader simply manages to become the..Show More » character. Most of the readers are good, but every so often, reader and character click and something special results. Grover Gardner reading David Rosenfelt's books, David Aaron Baker reading Dean Koontz's "Odd Thomas", Johanna Parker's perfect embodiment of Sookie Stackhouse in the Charlaine Harris books, and perhaps most of all, Katherine Kellgren as Jacky Faber in L.A. Meyer's "Bloody Jack." A perfect fit, a marvelous story, a wonderful performance. The story is excellent, but even if it were not, the performance itself would be worth hearing. This is the first performance by Katherine Kellgren I've heard, it will not be the last. Full marks for author and narrator.

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Bloody Jack #2

Jacky Faber, Bloody Jack, is back, and this time, she's facing a situation far worse than a ship full of murderous pirates. Curse of the Blue Tattoo, L. A. Meyer's sequel to the enormous popular Bloody Jack, is just as bawdy and entertaining as the original.

Nice story, extremely well read!

I have to admit I bought the second book in the series before the first book because there was a discount on it. I figured that at least I wouldn't w..Show More »aste a lot of money... (admit it, you have said that too)
Well, this was the surprise of the year for me. Katherine Kellgren really brought the characters to life, with not only different voices well-suited for the characters, but with energy and pacing that suited the text. AND she can sing a nice song!
This was my first contact with any L. A. Meyer novel. I was looking for an easy listen to help get through the four 12-hour drives that faced me in the last 2 months. I got my money's worth, and the Wife and I were sad to get to the end of the book. There is some violence, and the encounters with some of the "women of ill repute" are a bit creepy. Might be some good discussion opportunities with your daughters.
Personally, I'm looking for more books from both this author and this reader! Five stars for each!

Under the Jolly Roger: Bloody Jack #3

In the third book of the "Bloody Jack" series, unlikely heroine Jacky Faber, a pirate at heart, returns to the sea in a truly swashbuckling tale filled with good humour, wit, and courage. After leaving the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in Boston--under dire circumstances, of course - Jacky boards a whaling ship bound for London, where she hopes to find her beloved Jaimy. But things don't go as planned, and she is off on a wild misadventure at sea.

Best book in the series (so far!)

I absolutely LOVE this series, and especially this third book. I have to admit I got a bit annoyed with Jacky when she was landlocked in the second b..Show More »ook, but in Under the Jolly Roger, she is back at sea, and the story is the most exciting one yet (and I think the best in the series, having now listened to all of them up to Book 7, The Rapture of the Deep). There were parts that had me cheering out loud and clapping, or covering my mouth in horror as I listened to this on my commute and around the house. Kellgren continues to dazzle with her narration -she one of the best narrators out there, and in fact is definitely more of an actress than a reader. Each book is a real performance, and it's like I'm watching a movie in my head while she reads. It's amazing how well she even does the male characters - I forget that I'm listening to one female doing all the parts - it feels like a full cast.

I had no problem waiting a month for my new credits between the first and second book, and the second and third book, but when Under the Jolly Roger reached it's breathtaking conclusion, there was no possible way I could wait, and ended up buying the fourth book sans credits, and it was well worth it, as I've now listened to the third and fourth books twice each.

Don't hesitate to buy this audiobook - it is Jacky Faber at her most resourceful and brilliant, and the entire cast of characters is fantastic - from the loyal Werewolves, to the wonderful and trusty Higgins (I wish I had my own Higgins!!), to the gaspingly evil villain Captain Scroggs. The final scenes of the book are easily the most beautiful and dramatic of the entire series thus far. This book is not to be missed.

In the Belly of the Bloodhound: Bloody Jack #4

Jacky Faber, having been called a pirate and had a price put on her head by the King of England, has no choice but to stay out of sight. Hoping for a safe hiding place, she returns to the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in Boston, but the calm doesn't last long. On a class field trip to Boston Harbor, the girls are abducted and forced into the hold of the Bloodhound, a ship bound for the slave markets on the Barbary Coast where they will be put up on the auction block and sold into Arab harems.

Loved it! Loved them all.

I've been a member of Audible for three years now and this is only the second time I have purchased books over and above my 2 credits a month. My cred..Show More »its went to the second and third books in the Jacky Faber series, Curse of the Blue Tattoo and Under the Jolly Roger, and when finished those mid month, I immediately purchased the fourth, the Belly of the Bloodhound.

Since I couldn't stop listening to how the Lawson Peabody girls were planning to escape the Bloodhound, sadly I finished it four whole days before new credits enter my account to continue my adventures with Jackie Faber. No worries, the fifth book, Mississippi Jack is downloading as I write and Ill have credits for book six.

Why am I telling this...to warn my mates that these tales will capture you and nothing short of good keel hauling will stop you from listening.

Mississippi Jack: Bloody Jack #5

In Mississippi Jack, the fifth installment in the Bloody Jack series, the intrepid Jacky Faber, having once again eluded British authorities, heads west, hoping that no one will recognize her in the wilds of America. There she tricks the tall-tale hero Mike Fink out of his flatboat, equips it as a floating casino-showboat, and heads south to New Orleans, battling murderous bandits, British soldiers, and other scoundrels along the way.

Kellgren does it again!

I am a 40-yr old fan of this series. I read book 3, but did audio for 1,2 & 4, and let me tell you, I wish I had done it for #3 - I really felt I mis..Show More »sed out on something! Kellgren is impossibly brilliant in her voicework and narration. If I had read book 4, I would have never heard her take on Mike Fink, and that is very scary, as it is the most annoyingly hilarious thing thus far in the series...or as funny as hearing mam'selle call Jacky "preciousssss". I now walk around saying "Well, helloooooo, preciousssssss", but no one understands.

My Bonny Light Horseman: Bloody Jack #6

In My Bonny Light Horseman, the infamous pirate, riverboat seductress, master of disguise, and street-urchin-turned-sailor Jacky Faber has been captured by the French and beheaded in full view of her friends and crew.Inconceivable? Yes! The truth is she's secretly forced to pose as an American dancer behind enemy lines in Paris, where she entices a French general into revealing military secrets--all to save her dear friends.

Stunning & Engaging

I don't think I've enjoyed a story or reader yet that is as engaging and "In the Momemt" as L.A. Meyer's Jack series read by Katherine Kellgren. Once..Show More » again I feel like I am there, beside Jack the whole way, rather than reading what will surely become another account of her adventurers.

Rapture of the Deep: Bloody Jack #7

On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission--this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned. Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison.

Excellent series

I originally got book one for my son, but pre-listened to it.

I don't think the series is appropriate for an 11 year old boy (in my opin..Show More »ion), but I LOVED it. I've listened to all seven now and can't wait for the next one. The narrator is phenomenal, and the stories and fun and lively.

I think this is a great series for girls ages 12 and up, and their moms too...

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Bloody Jack #8

Jacky Faber, rich from her exploits diving for Spanish gold, has purchased the Lorelei Lee to carry passengers across the Atlantic. Believing she has been absolved of past sins against the Crown, Jacky docks in London to take on her crew, but is instead arrested and sentenced to life in the newly formed penal colony in Australia. To add insult to injury, the Lorelei Lee is confiscated to carry Jacky and more than 200 female convicts to populate New South Wales.

I decided to write one review....

...for the entire series. Buy it Buy it Buy it!!!! Jacky Fabor is a character to end all characters. Pippi Longstocking, Anne of Green Gables and Huc..Show More »kleberry Finn all rolled into one. I must admit I was quite surprised to find the author was male. The entire series was swashbuckling fun from start to finish and pure joyful fanciful escapism. I hated to see the series come to an end.It is good to know there will be more and I can hardly wait. KUDO's to Katherine Kellgrin!! She is absolutely incredible what a talent!!! I truly believe her narration made for an incredible audio book. I am not surprised that two books from this series won 2010 Audie Awards.

The Mark of the Golden Dragon

The irrepressible Jacky Faber, condemned for life to the English penal colony in Australia for crimes against the Crown, has once again wriggled out of the grasp of British authorities. Back on her flagship, the Lorelei Lee, she eagerly heads back to England in the company of friends and her beloved Jaimy Fletcher.But when the voyage is waylaid by pirates, storms, and her own impetuous nature, Jacky is cast into a world of danger that extends from the South China Sea to the equally treacherous waters of London politics.

A Transitional Tale for Faber & Co.

First, let me say that I am a massive, massive fan of this series, and as long as Mr. Meyer keeps writing them, and Ms. Kellgren keeps performing them..Show More », I will keep listening.

That being said, this one could have been better. I finished listening to this last night, and find myself feeling a bit unsatisfied, and a bit disappointed in our heroine. Those who enjoyed the increased involvement and "piratization" of Mr. James Emerson Fletcher in Wake of the Lorelei Lee will be disappointed here. Jaimy hardly appears at all, due to certain circumstances which I won't elaborate on. Despite these circumstances, I don't understand why we could not still have gotten some narration from his point of view.

Also absent in this volume is Joseph Jared, who reappeared in rather dramatic fashion at the end of WotLL, so the Jacky/Jaimy/Jared love triangle conflict that fans may have expected never really materializes. Instead, another of Jacky's former paramours takes center stage in this book, and the bulk of the plot involves much gallivanting around London. I agree with Davey and Tink (those stallwart members of the Dread Brotherhood of the Dolphin) that Jacky should have been more focused on the Jaimy situation. Oh, how I longed to see Jacky and Jaimy having adventures together for once.

Complaints aside, this is still an enjoyable audiobook. Katy Kellgren continues to dazzle, and there is now a pretty nice setup for the next book, "Over the Hills and Far Away." I will choose to think of this as the transitional book needed to wrap up the "Transported for Life" storyline so that Jacky can get back to action in the next book. Just don't go into this expecting an epic adventure on the scale of Lorelei Lee, Bonny Light Horseman or Jolly Roger.

Viva Jacquelina!: Bloody Jack, Book 10

The vivacious Jacky Faber return in the 10th tale in L. A. Meyer's Bloody Jack series! Once again under the thumb of British Intelligence, Jacky is sent to Spain to spy for the crown during the early days of the 19th-century Peninsular War. She finds herself in the company of guerilla freedom fighters, poses for the famous artist Goya, runs with the bulls, is kidnapped by the Spanish Inquisition, and travels with a caravan of gypsies...all while hoping to one day reunite with her beloved Jamie Fletcher.

Back on Course

I came to this series very late, but made up for that this summer by devouring all nine then available in an embarrassingly short time. For those..Show More » very familiar with the series, take what I write with the knowledge that my favorites were the first, second, fourth, sixth and eighth, and that I ccan only be said to have been disappointed in the ninth. I was so disappointed that I worried about this book as much as I eagerly awaited its release.

Mark of the Golden Dragon with what I considered to be an overly convoluted plot and uneven pacing made me wonder what the rest of the series would hold, particularly with its emphasis on Jacky's nights on the town and involved scheming. This time around though, we have something I think is far more akin to Bonnie Light Horseman, with Jacky hopping from place to place, balancing her attempts to learn what's going on in a given locale and building relationships with the friendly or not so friendly people she meets, particularly every young male in sight. There is also action distributed fairly regularly throughout to keep things lively, and of course, Jacky is cursed with as much bad luck as she's blessed with good. I think Jamie's side-chapters were at their best with Mississippi Jack and Lorelei Lee, where he was actively pursuing her. Having him on his own, while better than watching him go insane, doesn't really add much if you're not overly invested in that aspect of the story aside from wanting it to reach some sort of conclusion. All the same though, it is not so distracting as in the last installment. Also, there is no nautical action in this outing, but a return to running around continental city streets and countryside looking to bring confusion to Napoleon's forces.

Happily, this book continues to deliver the constants that will always make this series a favorite, regardless of the odd turns it might take. The writing is still hilarious, Jacky is still a lovable scoundrel and Katherine Kellgren's performance is simply top notch.

If you were at all hesitant, I urge you to sail on. And if you haven't tried the series before, this installment means you now have one more adventure to look forward to than you did before.

Boston Jacky: Bloody Jack, Book 11

Jacky Faber makes waves, even when docked in her adopted city of Boston to attend to the business of Faber Shipping Worldwide. With big dreams and perhaps too much exuberance for the Puritan populace, she quickly finds herself at odds with the Women's Temperance Union and a town roiling over the arrival of hundreds of Irish laborers, brought in on Jacky's Lorelei Lee.

How Much Farther Jacky?

It seems that with every passing installment I go through the same cycle of trepidation leading up to the release of the latest entry in the Bloody Ja..Show More »ck series. It continues through the beginning of each book, tempered by my reacquaintance with Katherine Kellgren's impeccable portrayal of Jacky and her world, but simmers as Mr. Meyer follows the same formula of high times, overconfidence, duplicitous scheming, Jacky's moral undoing and at least a few instances of irrational behavior re the ongoing "romance" between our plucky protagonist and Mr. James Fletcher. The latter returns to prominence, and advances the argument I think that this series is beginning to outstay its welcome: as his angst over Jacky's wildness and resulting behavior are truly beginning to feel contrived to the point of being utterly silly. Generally, I suppose, both characters are aging but not growing up.

What redeems this book for me is the sheer fun that is had along the way. There is a lot of suffering on Jacky's part but many ridiculous misadventures and hijinks. How much this can carry the book may vary from person to person depending on how tired they are of Jacky's shortcomings. I for one thought I was at my limit with #11, but found myself finishing this morning, willing to go on at least one more adventure with Jacky Faber. All the same, I hear the dates of letters in this book and think that the War of 1812 is drawing ever closer and surely this series cannot go on very much longer.

Highlights this time around are encounters with for profit fire-fighting companies of the early 19th Century, the early women's suffrage movements, anti-immigrant bias and more illicit substances.The wonderful characterizations and emphatic reading of action sequences that has won Katherine Kellgren so much acclaim for this series remains very much in evidence, and is well worth disregarding any misgivings about going forward for series regulars. Go ahead on one more adventure with Jacky and her friends, hear songs sung and visit Jacky's Boston once more for old time's sake.

Wild Rover No More: Being the Last Recorded Account of the Life & Times of Jacky Faber

Jacky Faber is framed as passing confidential U.S. information to the British. Forced to flee Boston, she goes undercover as a governess for a prominent Puritan family. When outed by a nosy postmaster, she deserts the respectability of her position, dons a leotard and slippers, and poses as a Russian tightrope walker in a traveling circus. But the law soon catches up with her, and prospects do not look good.

Satisfying Ending to a beloved series

Well Played Mr. Meyer you made me laugh, you made me cry and gave Jacky the sendoff she deserved!

Great narration by Katherine Kellgren, as a..Show More »lways, but this time she had to do a Russian accent and sing in that accent, you are an amazing talent Ms. Kellgren!

I don’t want to spoil this book for those of you that have read the entire series, so I will just say I enjoyed this book more than Boston Jacky and it was an excellent end to a fabulous series that will forever be a go-to book for me and I know I will listen to this series again and again.

I am sad that the series is over but am glad that Mr. Meyer had the chance to finish the book before he passed away and that we won’t end up with another author coming in and ruining his work. I am so glad your memory will live on in the wonderful characters you have written, RIP Mr. Meyer.